Watchman&#39;s outfit for temporary routes.



PATENTBD JUNE 26, 1906'. G

GI WATGHMAN'S OUTFI APPLIOATI T F0 MPORARY ROUTES. 011mm: 0.5 190 7 o E is. a m

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WATCHMANS OUTFIT FOR TEMPORARY ROUTES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 26, 1906.

Application filed December 5, 1904. Serial No. 285,489.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUY M. GEs a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Watchmans Outfit for Temporary Routes and I do declare the following to be a clear, full, and exact description thereof, attention being called to the accompanying drawings, with the reference char acters marked thereon, which form also a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in the paraphernalia used in connection with a watchmans time-detecting and recording outfit.

It relates more particularly to a system using an outfit where a portable clock is carried by the watchman and which is provided with a blank record sheet or dial, the record in form of impressions being made at prearranged times, hourly or half-hourly, by means of keys fitted to enter a certain opening provided for the purpose in the clockcase. These keys are located at certain points along the route which the watchman is to cover, they being fixedly attached by chains to permit their use, but preventing their removal. The record-blank is moved by the clock mechanism so as to change its position with reference to the point at which the key is inserted and used on the clock, so that the time at which a certain key is so used may be ascertained from the location of the impression made by it on the blank, this latter being otherwise inaccessible to the watchman. Furthermore, each key making an impression different from the one of any other, the impression being by any suitable character, usually a number, it is clear that the watchman is forced to travel over his entire route to obtain the impression of all the keys, while the moving record-blank shows the time at which each impression was made.

The object of this invention is to so arrange this system and its necessary outfit by means of certain devices and implements that it may be used on routes which have only a temporary existence and which are also changeable at frequent intervalsas, for instance, in the carrying on of public works, like the building of streets, laying of tracks, digging of trenches to receive pipes for gas or water, &c.-where large stretches of such work are always under construction and wheredt is necessary to watch the partlyfinished or incomplete work, as well as the implements and materials stored along its route. A watchmans route to cover work of such a character is therefore dependent on the location, course, and progress of such work and the system of key-stations at which the watchman makes the records in the clock carried by him must be arranged accordinglythat is, it must partake of a similar transient and temporary character to have mobility to follow the work and permit adjustment to its changing location and routes. Suitable receptacles or boxes, preferably of metal, are provided which contain the keys, one in each box, they being fastened by means of a chain of suitable lengthsay about ten to fifteen inches-to permit use and manipulation, the key being secured to one end of this chain, while the other is securely fastened within the box. Aremovable lid is provided on this latter to permit access to the key for use and to keep the weather out. In the broadest application of the invention these boxes are provided with means permitting their detachable connections to buildings, fences, trees, telegraph poles, &c., which may be adjacent to the location or route of the work. After the work is.finished these boxes are removed entirely or moved to a new location if the work is of a progressive character as to its location. In its more specific application it is preferable, however, to provide means for attachment and support of these boxes which are not dependent on the presence of adjacent fixtures, which might not always be available.

I refer now in the further explanation of this invention to the accompanying drawings, in which in Figure 1 in a diagrammatic view the shaded quadrangles may indicate complexes of buildings or city blocks, separated by streets between them. The paral lel lines between them may indicate a track or a trench in process of construction, the full lines indicating either completed or partlyfinished work, the dotted lines indicating the proposed course in which the work is m tended to advance.

Key-stations to be visited by the watchman would be located with reference to points most important to be watchedas, for instance, at crossings, storage of tools, implements, materials, dangerous locations, &c. Fig. 2 shows such a key-station, it being substantially a stake, shown in elevation and provided with the means for carrying out my invention. Fig. 3 shows an enlarged view of the upper parts of this stake with the means (key-box) mentioned lifted off and shown in section. Points 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 may indicate such key-stations.

To be independent of adjacent fixtures for the purpose of attaching the keyboxes, I provide a stake A, Fig. 2, preferably of iron, which on its top supports a key-box B. This latter is fitted to sleeve over the upper end of the stake and horizontally divided by a partition b, the part below receiving said upper end of the stake, the part above serving to contain the key. In Fig. 3 these parts are shown at enlarged scale, with the box partly in section and open,permitting access to the key 0, which is shown withdrawn as becomes necessary for its use, said withdrawal being limited by chain c, which is permanently and securely fastened within the upper part of the key-box. Each of these keys by difference in shape or presence of a projecting character, letter, or numeral is individual to its box and diiferent from the keys of all the other boxes. A cap D, held by a chain d, serves to accessibly close the key-box to keep the weather out. The key-boxes are detachable from their stakes to permit their removal while a stake is driven. After replaced they are held by means of a padlock F, the hasp of which passes through two eye-lugs f, one secured to the stake and the other to the box. A vertical slot g in this latter, starting from the lower edge upwardly permits the lug in the stake to enter so as to come opposite and register with the other lug to permit insertion of the hasp of the padlock. Referrin now to Fig. 1, these devices are used as fo lows: Stakes, like A, would be driven at points 1, 2, 3, and 4, where the work is under construction, which points would indicate and determine the route to be traversed by the watchman at certain-times and where he stakes are driven at 5 and 6, or if the finishing of the work at one end keeps up in an even ratio with the progress of the work at the other end stakes from 1 and 2 may be successively removed and re lanted at 5 and 6, 860. These stakes may a so serve to support the usual red-lantern danger-signals H, for which purpose a hook-shaped supportingarm h is provided on the key-box.

Having described my invention, I claim as new In a watchmans outfit for temporary or changeable routes and inwhich keys are used, a key-box horizontally divided to form endwise-open, upper and lower parts, the upper art intended to receive the key and the ower part fitted for mounting upon the upper end of a stake, whereby the box is sup ported, means for detachably connecting this latter to such stake and a hook-shaped arm h projecting from the outside of the box as shown and for the purpose described. v

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

GUY M. GEST.

Witnesses:

JAMES D. FARRENDER, JOSEPH P. CAsEY. 

